CROP PROSPECTS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11511, 18 February 1903, Page 8

CROP PROSPECTS.

m ■ The Albury correspondent of the Timaru "Herald" states that the heavy rain ot Thursday, though doing no actual damage to the crops, .will greatly retard "harvest operations. The rain will, however, have a beneficial effect on root crops, and generally promote the growth of the pastures. The crops in the Albury and Tengawoi districts are very good, and all classes of stock are doing excellently. "Roughly speaking, there will be 1200 acres of wheat and the same of oats in the MaJrikihi district (writes the correspondent of the same paper). The excessive rainfall has produced a great length of straw and an abundant undergrowth. In many cases whole acres are laid, and will never fill properly. Again, what were formerly ■very promising crops have had half the yield knocked out with the hail. Under the most favourable conditions wheat will not average more than' 30 bushels and oats 45." The crops in the Waitaki district are coming on nicely, though harvest will not be general for about ten days. The area of land under crop is' about the same as usual, but the yield of both oats and wheat promises to be much above the ordinary. About two-thirds of the crops are oats and one-third wheat. The oats will turn out about 40 bushels per acre, and the wheat 30 bushels. A paddock of oara close to the township should yield between 60 and 70 bushels per acre. Turnips are looking extremely" well, and grass is plentiful. This has been a grand year for gardening, and vegetables are abundant. Potatoes are a good crop and of very fine quality. Tlie farmers are in good spirits, and a capital stock sale was held in the loca 1 yards on Wednesday.